'Love jihad': ISIS targeting Hindu, Christian girls in Kerala, says BJP state chief

Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Surendran has again raised the issue of 'love jihad', stating that global terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is targeting girls of the Hindu and Christian communities.

Speaking to ANI, Surendran on Wednesday said, "ISIS is targeting Hindu-Christian girls especially students. Why are they sending couples to Syria if there is no love jihad?."

"In our manifesto, we have categorically clarified that we shall move for legislation if voted to power," he added.

He further claimed that many incidents of 'love jihad' have taken place in Kerala, but no inquiry took place. Surendran said that not just the Hindus, the Christian community also feels that 'love jihad' is a serious issue in the southern state.

Assembly elections in Kerala will be conducted in a single phase on April 6. The Election Commission will announce the Kerala poll results on May 2.

Earlier in December last year, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh cabinet had approved the Freedom of Religion Bill 2020 has been in a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. A similar law is there in Uttar Pradesh as well.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on February 4 this year clarified that the term 'love jihad' is not defined under the existing laws and no such case has been reported so far.

No such case was reported by any of the central agencies yet.

However, two cases from Kerala involving inter-faith marriages have been investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), according to the home ministry.

(ANI)

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